puckentine for the people
by Salmon Cat
Summary: Request a Puckentine oneshot here. Details inside. Give it a go, you might like it!
1. 001

001

( on hold )

. . .

**Genres: **Angst, friendship.

**Based on:** The Reason by Hoobastank.

**Author's Note: **_You're probably wondering what's going on. I'll explain in the note down below, after the oneshot. For now, read on!_

. . .

_and so i have to say before i go_

_that i just want you to know_

_i've found a reason for me_

_to change who i used to be_

"How long will you be gone for?" Cat asked, her chin propped on her palms.

It was midnight and the two had been sat on the couch for hours, talking and breathing in awkward silence after Sam broke the news that Carly had returned to Seattle and that she wanted to see her old best friend.

Sam said nothing, instead chewing on her lips and keeping her eyes away from the redhead's inquisitive stare.

"Will you come back?" Cat pressed.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know, Cat."

"How come?" Cat frowned, putting her hand on Sam's leg. "You can tell me. I won't get mad."

"Because," Sam replied, this time looking Cat in the eyes. "I don't want to make promises, okay? I don't want to get your hopes up. I don't want to keep you waiting."

"So you're not coming back?"

Sam felt, with a sting and a held breath, Cat's hand remove itself from her. It scared her because it only assured her growing fear that her departure would deeply upset the redhead. "I don't know, Cat. I'm sorry."

"Well, I can't keep you in L.A.," Cat said in a slow exhalation.

When Sam met her eyes, they were sad and perhaps a little hopeful, but below it etched an even sadder smile. No dimples. It hurt her too much, but she couldn't help it. She had to leave.

"I'm sorry, Cat," Sam repeated. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, you know that, right?"

Cat nodded slowly. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, too. Starting from the garbage truck, to staying with me, and everything."

"Are you gonna be okay?" Sam asked. She did so only out of formality. She didn't want to know the answer. It would only hurt her more. It would only make her want to stay more.

But she had to leave.

Cat's graduation was due in a few months, and she wanted to avoid the inevitable before it got to happen. She was never sure what would become of her by the time Cat finished school, since their babysitting business would no longer work out, and she always hesitated bringing it up because she wasn't sure Cat would know the answer too. She wanted to be the one to say goodbye before Cat had to.

When Cat said nothing, Sam put an arm around the girl's shoulders and pulled her into a one-armed hug, Cat's head snug on her shoulder. "You'll be okay, kid. You taught me a lot of things."

_i wish that i could take it all away_

_and be the one who catches all your tears_

Cat had put the babysitting business "on hold" the day after Sam left. She was never good at handling the kids on her own anyway, and now with Sam's absence hanging over her all the time, she couldn't deal with the kids at all. They reminded her too easily of all the times she'd spent babysitting with Sam.

A week after Sam's departure, Cat saw that they had gone back to their webshow, iCarly. And she was a little glad that she could see Sam in realtime and see how she was doing, because by then Cat had known Sam enough to know when she was upset or hiding anything. And as horrible as it sounds, Cat had spent many days hoping she could spot Sam feigning a smile or looking upset. Anything to show that she could return to her.

But the only thing Cat saw was Sam being friendly with Freddie Benson and best-friendly with Carly. And it hurt her.

Sometimes Sam mentioned Cat during random iCarly episodes. Sometimes Cat would get featured on the show to sing via video chat or just through a phone call, and Sam would always tell her she missed her and L.A. so much, and that she missed her hugs.

And Carly would always be there to give her a hug right after she says that. It happened so many times it became a quick running gag in the show.

And it hurt Cat because that was her thing with Sam. The hugging. And Sam was supposed to say "Not a hugger!" but she never did so with Carly. And she wished she could be there, or that Sam could be there with her in her Nonna's apartment.

She just wished Sam never left.

. . .

**Note: **So, new deal. You can now request Puckentine oneshots from, well, yours truly!

Simply leave a review stating what song (and by whom) you want your oneshot to be based on, and what genres you want it to be written in (angst, fluff, horror, action, mystery, anything!), and I will write the oneshot for you. You can include a plot idea if you want, and I'll try to write it that way, or don't leave one so I can let my imagination run wild. Puckentine only, alright?

Feel free to check out my other fics to see my writing style and all that.

Just don't rush me because a) it'll take the fun out of it for me, and b) writing something at least presentable to the internet takes time for me.

And I won't do tv show alternate universes (like a Breaking Bad Puckentine or OITNB Puckentine or anything like that) because I don't have the time to watch those shows and do my research, so original plots only, yeah?

Also, remember that I'm only writing oneshots, not multi-chapter sagas, so take it easy with the plot ideas or my brain might pop while writing.

What's in it for you, you ask? Well, you get to have your Puckentine fantasy written for you, no charge. Do you see? You don't have to do anything!

What's in it for me? I get exposed to new music and get writing prompts for my favorite ship. And hopefully improve as a writer. And I might finally stop writing depressing angsty stuff for this bubbly couple, but that depends on you!

Win-win, you see.

All I ask is, if you like a oneshot I wrote for someone here, share it to tumblr and help keep the #puckentine tag alive. Fair enough deal?

Sorry this was really long.

Now, to get the ball rolling, I'm just gonna...

- - **Coming next:** She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5 - -


	2. 002

002

( rain or shine )

. . .

**Genres: **Fluff, romance.

**Based on: **She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5

**Author's Note: **_This wasn't meant to tie in so nicely with the first one, but I feel like it's going to. Also, I'm so glad and excited about the requests that came in. I'm going to start working on them right away! Thanks for the interest, you guys - viva la Puckentine!_

. . .

_i drove for miles and miles and wound up at your door_

_i've had you so many times but somehow i want more_

Cat had felt a weird choky feeling in her throat the moment Jade slowed the car to a stop. By the time she entered the elevator going up, she was beginning to feel panicky and scared. Once she stopped in front of the door that should lead to Carly Shay's apartment, her heart was pounding so fast it was starting to hurt. Jade didn't want to come with her because she said this stuff was too sappy for her good, so Cat just nodded solemnly and made her way on her own

She had heard enough about Sam's mom to know that she wouldn't find Sam in her own home, but rather, at Carly's. Where else would they shoot their iCarly webisodes, right?

Just a few days ago she had tearfully confided her feelings and sadness in Jade after weeks of mood swings and constant hiding.

"You like Puckett that much, huh?" Jade deadpanned, her arms crossed.

Cat didn't say anything, merely nodding.

"I don't know what she did to you," Jade continued. "Or for you, but I don't know what a friendship like that feels like. The only person I like and could cry for would be Beck, but that's a diffe - oh."

Jade studied the redhead's face more closely this time, a rather pleased smirk pasted on her face.

_"Oh_," she repeated.

"It's not a big deal," Cat tried, her tone hurried and unsure. She even forced a smile to try and convince her.

"It is if you're going to keep being a spoilsport around the others," Jade snapped. "If you miss her so much, why don't you just go and visit her? It's not like you've been doing much here but cry anyway."

And so Cat had quickly agreed to Jade's suggestion. It wasn't like she needed much convincing in the first place. She was just glad she could finally open up to someone about it - someone who wasn't her dear Mr Purple.

Jade had agreed to drive her all the way to Seattle ("Anything to stop you from being such a baby," she muttered) and for a while, the trip was all Cat could think about.

Even along the way she had happily hummed and sang at the thought of finally meeting Sam again. But as the apartment building loomed closer into view, Cat could feel a rising nervousness and anxiety for what might await her.

After all, she hadn't called Sam at all to let her know she was coming. She wanted to surprise her, like in the movies. What if Sam wasn't there? Or worse, what if Sam didn't want her there? No matter how hard she tried to be optimistic about it, she couldn't help it.

The door in front of her swung open and there stood a tall and lanky young man. Cat had watched enough iCarly to know this was Spencer, Carly's eccentric brother.

"You have freakishly red hair," Spencer pointed out.

"I'm Cat Valentine," Cat smiled, hoping her nervousness didn't show.

"She's Cat Valentine!" Spencer roared to somewhere behind him, keeping his eyes on Cat.

And then, Cat heard her, finally, the voice she had missed and longed for for months. "Cat?"

The door swung wider in its frame, and for the first time in what felt like a million years Cat was looking at Sam again, and nothing changed and Sam was shocked but smiling, and she was so, so, so, glad.

She didn't know who ran to whom first and whose arms hugged who first, but they just kind of met halfway and melted into each other and neither would let go for the longest time.

"I missed you," Cat said adoringly, her voice muffled by Sam's shoulder.

_i don't mind spending every day_

_out on your corner in the pouring rain_

"Man, I miss L.A. weather," Sam said, letting the raindrops land with a hundred little splashes on her palms.

They were up on the rooftop after Cat had said goodbye and thanked Jade ("Yeah, yeah, whatever, go be in love," she yelled as Cat wrapped her arms around her) and after she had listened to Sam's stories about her return to Seattle.

"It's not a beautiful view or anything, but I like it here," Sam had said when she pushed the door open and the misty Seattle weather greeted her and the redhead. "Keeps me away from a lot of people whenever I'm angry and stuff."

No sooner had they reached the rooftop, it began to rain. First a light drizzle, and then all at once. Within two minutes, the two were soaking wet. They were just too lazy to go all the way down again.

"I miss it too," Cat said, squinting up at the sky. She looked over at Sam and grinned, "But I miss my Puckle more."

"Man, I missed you too, you know," Sam said, patting Cat on the shoulder. "It's so nice to have you out here. My new best friend and my old best friend. And Freddie too, but whatever."

"You know I can't stay forever, though, right?" Cat asked, shivering in the cold. She clung closer onto Sam even though Sam was just as cold, the two looking down at a wet and blurred Seattle.

"I know. I'll take you back to L.A. myself later on," Sam nodded. She put her other arm around the redhead and squeezed tight. "For now let's just try and have a good time in Seattle, alright?"

"Yeah," Cat said. She looked up at the taller girl's face for a whole minute, wanting to say more, but keeping her lips shut in a secretive smile.

"What?" Sam noticed.

"I'm just - I'm so glad we're friends," Cat said, and stood on her toes to kiss the stunned blonde on the cheek.

Sam pulled back and looked down in surprise at the redhead, half a smile etched on her face. "Well, you - "

She paused, scratching her head awkwardly, searching for the right response.

"I mean - "

Cat blinked at her innocently, barely holding in her satisfied grin, content after finally being able to do what she always wanted to do.

"Ah, what the heck - " Sam threw her arms up in defeat and leaned in to kiss Cat back, and this time they had both made sure to meet each other halfway - on the lips.

Meanwhile, the rain poured down on and around the two, and they didn't mind, and none of them dared bring up what would happen later when Cat has to go back, because the two knew that they would always try their hardest to reach and see each other, rain or shine.

. . .

**Note: **Oh my god, did fanfiction dot net user Salmon Cat just write a Puckentine story where no one dies and nothing is sad?!

Haha, I know, I know, I write way too much angst and tragedy for the couple. So I hope you enjoyed this one for a change!

- - **Coming next:** Maps by Maroon 5 - -


End file.
